Doctor Who Return of the Kaleds
by C.Halliwell
Summary: The Doctor and Rose are in the TARDIS spinning through time and space with no control over it. It involves an old enemy bent on revenge...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Doctor was smiling at Rose, watching her as she laughed. She was in high spirits because it had been almost a year since she'd been home to see her mother. Mickey had moved away, finally tired of her rejections. The TARDIS engines sped up abruptly. The smile vanished from his face. "That's not right," he said.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"We've accelerated in time -" he glanced at his watch and counted aloud. "2053, 2043, 2033. Rose we're skipping decades. We were heading for 2006 and we're going to shoot straight past it." He ran to the controls, trying to slow down the engines. It didn't work. "Something must have interfered with the TARDIS route. We were taking a short cut but it just doesn't make sense..."

"Shouldn't we just reverse?"

"I can't or we'll freeze completely."

"Well then… how will we get back?"

"I think we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

"And what do you think will happen? Has this happened before with you?"

"Once," the Doctor replied. "But that was a malfunction. There's nothing wrong now. And I have no idea what will happen."

Rose moved over to the TV screen. She knew how to use it now and selected an alien news channel. There was a news flash. The title at the bottom read: _Unknown E.Ts tamper with space and time._ "Doctor?" Rose said. "I think you should see this."

The Doctor moved over and stared at the writing. "Oh no." he breathed. Rose turned up the volume and the newsreader read, "_… chaos today in time tunnels, a strange_ _machine unknown -_" the screen flicked to a picture of a blurring blue thing, spinning round and round. It was going so fast it was indistinguishable. The clip started again but this time slower. The Doctor leant forward, closer. Rose pointed at it. "That's the TARDIS? How are we causing chaos in time? All that's happened is us speeding up… but faster than usual."

The Doctor frowned, puzzled. He didn't reply to her question but kept his eyes fixed on the screen. The newsreader continued. "_If anybody can identify this machine, please get in touch with the time lords so they can put a stop to the machine before it crashes into the planet Skaro, home of the Kaleds and Thals -"_

"Impossible." The Doctor said, turning off the screen. He turned his back on Rose.

"What's impossible?" Rose asked, walking round to face him.

"The planet Skaro. It was destroyed in the 30th century by a stellar manipulator device known as the Hand of Omega which was triggered a supernova in Skaro's sun. It's still there. I tried to make sure it would be destroyed forever and we're heading straight for it. Rose," he said quietly looking up at Rose. "Are you good at anagrams?"

"Yeah, I'm decent at them, but what does this have to with Skaro?"

"Think about the word Kaled. What could it be?"

Rose paused and then her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Are you saying that Skaro is the home of… the Daleks?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Who are the Thals? Why haven't the Daleks killed them yet?""They were driven from the planet by them," the Doctor explained. "The Daleks made it a devastated planet, its seas dead and its surface devoid of almost all life. But it was of some use to them. It was rich in minerals which the Daleks used to build armies to conquer and destroy other worlds, building an interstellar empire. Some time after the Daleks also abandoned Skaro. It was later reoccupied by the Imperial Dalek faction. Something to do with Davros a scientist there. The Kaleds and Thals went to war resulting their mutations caused by the nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons used and this was soon seen by Kaled scientists as being the end of their species in its "pure" form. Unfortunately Davros sped up the process and put them in the tank like suits the Daleks wore and called them 'Cyborgs' but they're still Daleks"

"So then you're saying we're heading straight for Dalek central?"

"Yep." The Doctor replied shortly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rose watched the Doctor as he desperately tried to slow down the TARDIS.

"You said if you tried to reverse us or slow us down we'd freeze completely," She said.

"Anything, and I mean anything, is better in my books than crashing into Skaro right now. And besides, if we do freeze the other time lords can get us out."

"You sure about that?" Rose asked uncertainly. He was just about to reply when the TARDIS shuddered violently. Both of them grabbed onto the control panels to keep themselves upright until the shuddering stopped which was a minute later. The Doctor looked up at the engine which was still moving. "Still going," he said rather to himself than to Rose. "Why won't we stop? Why are they doing this?"

"Is there any way you could contact the time lords?" Rose asked him nervously.

"No. I'll bet my life the Kaleds disabled the communications." He replied.

"So, I take it at this moment in time the Daleks are still the Kaleds and the Thals still inhabit Skaro with them. Am I right?"

"'Fraid so. And you know what? When we hit the beginning of Time which will be very soon," he glanced at his watch again. "We'll bounce right back to the end and keep reversing unless the TARDIS stops. And if that happens we'll go into the year of the Kaled and Thal war. We'll be caught in the middle. Oh, by the way, if we crash before there, which will probably be soon, the Daleks still inhabit it because in the past they're still alive -"

"Wait!" Rose interrupted. "You told me when I looked into the TARDIS in the future I said 'I can see the whole of time and space, every atom of your existence and I divide them.' Surely that means they're gone forever?"

"I would love to say you were completely right, but there's a loophole. You destroyed every living Dalek and past ones. But on Skaro they're still Kaleds. They aren't Daleks. Think about it."

Rose put her hand to her mouth. "But then… you said they mutated after the war. If they're still Kaleds the war hasn't happened. We'll crash when it's either just begun or finishing."

The Doctor nodded sadly.

"Oh my god. What are we gonna do? How will we defend ourselves and the TARDIS?"

"We still have the force-field for the TARDIS. But about us I don't know." He didn't look her in the eye.

They didn't speak for a while. The Doctor had decided there was nothing he could do to prevent the time skipping so sat down next to Rose. "Are we gonna die?" she asked at last.

The Doctor looked at her and smiled. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure no harm comes to you."

She frowned.

"Look, you know I can take care of myself. Regeneration and all that."

"Well, I'll do everything in my power to make sure no harm comes to you," Rose said, giving him a small smile. It faded as she said, "You're sure we can't get in touch with the other time lords?"

"Positive." The Doctor answered. "I just wish I could do more to stop this."

"You've done everything you can," she told him, resting her hand gently on his arm. "Like you said we have to wait and see."

She took her hand away and he looked at her. "You always say the right things, ask the right questions." He sighed. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

She grinned. "You're stuck with me if you keep up the flattery!"

The Doctor laughed but then frowned after he looked at his watch. "We're near Skaro and the wars going to start in eight decades time. That's not that long. Rose, check the news again."

Rose slowly walked over to the screen and turned back to the news channel.

"…_the machine now recognised as a Time and Relative Dimension In Space machine by the time lords is heading straight for the planet Skaro inhabited with the Kaleds and Daleks and if the time lords have calculated correctly they will collide soon when they are about to break into war..._"

"You were right." Rose said. "We're going to land right in the middle of a war zone about to be invaded by a mixture of Kaled and Thal. We're doomed." She said slowly.

"Don't talk like that. It's a possibility that when we crash, the TARDIS force-field should stop the impact from being so hard and that'll weaken it, but the best thing we can do is stay put. The engine will stop then so I should be able to figure out how to fix it."

"Your using 'should' a lot." Rose commented.

"Best I can do at the moment." He looked at his watch again. "Nearly there. Strap on your seatbelt, Rose."

"What seatbelt?"

He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the seats he and Rose sat on. She looked around and saw a new seatbelt had been attached. "That seatbelt." He said. "Hang on now we're about to break into Skaro's atmosphere…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The TARDIS shook violently again. "Don't worry this'll only last a few minutes," the Doctor reassured Rose. She raised her eyebrows at him. "And don't give me that look, what d'you expect it to be over in a few seconds?"

"N-no," Rose replied, teeth chattering from the vibrations. "The f-force-f-field will definitely protect us, r-right?"

"Absolutely." The Doctor told her.

They sat there together in an awkward silence and then he said, "The shaking should steady when we've past through."

Rose nodded. She started to feel sick and made to undo the seatbelt. The Doctor rested his hand firmly on hers and shook his head at her. "You're safer here."

Rose sat back and took deep breaths trying to distract herself from the shaking.

Suddenly the TARDIS shook harder but then straight away subsided to being smooth. She felt relieved that it had stopped and then the Doctor said, "Don't get comfy we'll collide in less than a minute."

Rose counted to sixty seconds in her head. At forty-nine the TARDIS crashed so violently she would have been thrown to the other side of the TARDIS had she not had her seatbelt on.

The shaking stopped.

The Doctor undid his seatbelt and stood up. He said gravely, "We're here. You stay here whilst I check what's going on outside."

Rose unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up. She made to argue but he put his hand up to stop her. "I'll be alright," he said. "Just stay here and you'll be ok. I'll be gone only a little while."

Rose nodded reluctantly. The Doctor swung open one of the TARDIS doors and stepped outside leaving Rose alone.

The Doctor looked around cautiously when he'd stepped out. There was no one around and it was quiet. Too quiet. What he saw around him was just like plain savannah. He looked up and his eyes widened at what he saw. Hundreds of Daleks were in the air, patrolling smoothly as if on solid ground. So the war was over. The Thals and Kaleds had already mutated. They were all looking down at him. They must have heard the TARDIS he guessed. He really had to do something about the noise of it.

The Doctor faintly heard the cry of "Exterminate! EXTERMINATE!" and just as the lasers started shooting down at him, he jumped and rolled. He realised he had rolled miraculously behind a tree. It wasn't thick though, but it bought him enough time to fumble in his pocket and get out the TARDIS key. Kneeling down he turned slowly to see what was happening.

The Daleks were slowly lowering themselves to the ground surrounding the TARDIS. He got out his sonic screwdriver. It would frighten Rose but he had no choice.

He pressed its tiny button and the TARDIS started de-materialising. The Daleks were confused. No enemy could escape them.

The TARDIS started materialising again behind him. Key at the ready, when the engines had stopped, he jumped to the doors and unlocked it as fast as he could. He slammed the doors shut behind him.

Rose was standing by the control panel and looked as if she was about to have a panic attack. She was breathing heavily and her eyes looked like they were about to fill with tears. She ran at him and hugged him so tight she didn't want to let go.

"I thought were going to send me back again -" she said.

"I wouldn't do that to you again," he told her. "Last time you wanted to be with me so much again you were forced to open the TARDIS and I can't allow you to do that all over again. You nearly died before. But I'm glad I was given another chance to be with you as my trusty side-kick."

"Uh-huh," Rose said.

"What?" he asked, looking genuinely confused. "What have I said?"

"Nothing," Rose said quickly. "You didn't say anything. Erm, can I help at all?"

"Well I'm gonna try the communications again and see if it goes through but that's it at the moment."

The TV flickered on of it's own accord. The newsreader was back. "_…And if the Doctor is getting this message they warn him to stay inside his TARDIS until a Time Lord has arrived. A punishment will be made for speeding in the Time Tunnels, the most likely life imprisonment or death. More after the weather._"

"What are we gonna do?" Rose asked. "The communications are down."

"Tell me something I don't know." The Doctor snapped.

"Doctor -"

"Rose, I think it's time you give me some space for the moment."

Rose held her arms up in surrender. "Ok, I'll go. Call me when you need me. Everything will work out. It always does." She wasn't sure these words of reassurance would make a difference but she decided to go downstairs to do what the Doctor said.

She walked into the huge clothes room and sat down on a stool. Before she could stop herself tears ran down her face.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Rose wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her new blue sweatshirt, a birthday present from the Doctor a week ago. She stood up slowly and took a deep breath then walked slowly over to the small varnished jewellery box by her hung up clothes. She opened the lid and gazed into her reflection of the tiny mirror. Her eyes fell to the bottom drawer of the box and pulled it open. In it was a small watch, a family heir-loom and by it, a medium sized top-of-the-range one. Rose stared at it and shakily put slid it onto her wrist. She switched it on (it had been off to save the battery) and it told her the year. 202,007.

Rose swallowed. The memories came flooding back. A tall, dark haired, sweet, American guy. Jack, was his name wasn't it?

"Oh God, Jack!" she whispered. How could she have forgotten him? He had been her friend. A daunting thought struck her. The TARDIS must have erased him from her memories, but why? And why had the Doctor never mentioned him?

Her mind was spinning. She thought of their situation. They had passed the beginning of time and flown straight back to the end then crashed. Their times were close.

Rose raised it closer to her face and saw the 'contact' button. She closed her eyes and pressed it. Static. That was a good thing, right? "Hello?" she spoke through. "Jack? Are you there?" _If he's still alive._ She thought.

"HELLO! Is anybody listening?"

Rose sighed with relief. "Jack! Jack, it's Rose!"

"Rose!" he laughed. "Where are you? Back on Earth?"

"Um, no. We're on the planet Skaro."

"Skaro? But that was destroyed thousands of years ago."

"It must've been blown into another galaxy instead."

"But, that was the home planet of the Daleks! The Daleks are dead though, they were destroyed a couple of years ago. What year are you in?"

"202,007." Rose replied. "You? Are you still on the Game-station?"

"Yes I am on the station still, with no one but myself for company. I'm in the year 202,007. Why did you leave me? Are you coming back?"

"We can't come back at the moment," (Jack sighed) "We've crashed."

"On Skaro!"

"Yeah, but the thing is, I must have had a little amnesia 'cause I forgot about you. I'm sorry. It was just after I destroyed the Daleks -"

"_You_ destroyed them?"

"I absorbed the energy from the Time vortex -"

"WHAT?"

"The Doctor took it though after. He regenerated and is a different man. It was this watch that made me remember you. I couldn't remember what happened when I had it and for some reason the TARDIS erased you from my memory. Jack, I love him!" and before she knew it she was pouring her heart out to him.

"Oh, Rose. It's your lucky day. Yours truly, has been re-building a transmat, you know, used in the games? Pure genius! It should transport me to any ship. It's been hard without proper plans but I finished it about half an hour ago. Sure you want me to come? Does the Doctor know?"

"Not exactly. I'll tell him in a minute. I need you."

"Don't worry. Wait why don't we surprise him. Where in the TARDIS are you? You can't be by the controls."

Rose cleared her throat. "The, er… the wardrobe."

"See you in a minute, Rose. Can't wait to see you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

There was a flash of white light which was so bright Rose had to shield her eyes.

"Hey," came Jack's voice. She felt firm arms wrap around her in a hug. "It's been so long, hasn't it?"

Rose opened her eyes and looked up to see Jack Harkness' eyes sparkling down at her. She hugged him back and smiled at him, which he returned. "Yeah," she agreed, stepping back, looking at him fully. He was still clean shaven and looked exactly how he'd been last time she'd seen him. "It has been a long time. Too long. Shall I introduce you to the new Doctor? Well, new for you."

He held his hand out which she grasped tightly. "Lead the way." He said. "But remember the Doctor didn't remind you about me so please don't over react if I throw a punch or shout."

Rose nodded. "I wouldn't blame you. He wasn't the one who's memory of you was erased. Or maybe it did…"

"A Time Lord wouldn't forget no matter how many regenerations. Trust me I've done my research."

"Well, then I see nothing else stopping us, so let's go." Rose said.

The Doctor didn't hear Rose come up, he was thinking too hard, staring at the engine, willing it to start, though he knew it wouldn't.

"Doctor?" Rose said anxiously from the top of the stairs. He didn't look up at her.

"Hey Doc, long time no see."

Just when the Doctor looked up a punch hit him square on the cheek, hard. He fell.

"Ow! Why d'you do that?" the Doctor asked, massaging his face, standing up. He backed away as not to be hit again.

Jack stood before the Doctor, Rose hovering by the stairs. "You left me on the Game-station! That a good enough reason for you?" Jack shouted.

"Hang on. You died. The Daleks killed you. How did you get back?"

"I don't know. The Dalek shot me and then the next moment, I don't know how much time passed, but I was back and I heard the TARDIS leaving and I saw you fade away."

The Doctor looked over Jack's shoulder at Rose. "I told you to let go of the power of the TARDIS. You couldn't and I said you can't control life and death and then you replied, crying, 'But I can.' It all makes sense now. Jack, I thought you were dead. I presumed Rose was just grieving that's why she never mentioned you."

"And you never asked her?" Jack said angrily, gesturing at Rose. "You never thought to bring me up in conversation? Or - or try to rescue me?"

"Like I said, I thought you were dead!" the Doctor told him, raising his voice.

"How could I be grieving if I didn't know he was dead?" Rose asked precariously.

"I don't know, maybe you could sense it that whole psychic shock thing and all, where someone you love dies or gets hurt you can sense it. Rose you're special, I just thought… I'm sorry." The Doctor sighed. "If I'd known I would've come straight back to get you. You helped us end the Time War and for that I thank you. Do you accept my apology?"

Jack sighed. "I fought to win. We did beat the Daleks and so I guess… yeah. Yeah I do accept. I'm sorry for, ah, punching you. And besides those two years gave me more engineering practice."

"May I ask," the Doctor said. "How you knew to come at exactly this time?"

Jack smiled. "Rose. She contacted me," He tapped his watch. "They still work. Built to last for a few years. I tried yours you know," Jack told Rose. "But it was off."

Rose looked down at the floor and said quietly, "I thought the battery would go. I mean, we've travelled for more than two years." She looked up again. "So are we gonna work a way out of here or not?"

Jack rubbed his hands, prepping himself. "Absolutely."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"So, how bad exactly is the situation?" Jack asked, settling down in a chair.

"If you count being surrounded by Daleks and crashed on their home planet bad, I would say very bad."

"Doctor, you told me I destroyed them past, present and future, if we're in the future how come they're still -"

The Doctor put up his hand to silence her. "No," he said quietly to himself. "No. they couldn't have. Unless they did it as backup…"

"Did what?" Rose asked.

"I don't think they're Daleks out there." The Doctor told them.

"But you saw them," Rose said. "We're on their home planet."

"I was mistaken, clearly that I thought it had been destroyed. I reckon it was blown to another galaxy, the Daleks gone though, but then as backup, they created or brainwashed aliens into looking like them to guard the planet they ever should return. Only they don't know they're dead."

"So then… we have to find out who they are?" Jack asked.

"I don't think they'll tell us," The Doctor said. And then he grinned. "Unless we capture one."

"It'll never talk," Rose said. "It's too dangerous -"

"Not unless we snap them out of it," the Doctor argued. He walked over to the TARDIS doors and made to open them.

"STOP!" Rose yelled going after him, Jack in pursuit "I won't let you go!"

"I have no choice," The Doctor said angrily. He swung open the doors but she pulled him back by the jacket and the doors shut. He fell back.

"Don't!" he snapped.

"Make me!" she cried.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor breathed, standing up slowly, dusting himself down. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"I just want you safe. You're always there for me. Ok, not all the time; but you always come back to save me no matter what the consequences."

"I understand Rose." He gave his companion a hug, which she returned gratefully and then she turned around. Jack was already at the controls. He glanced over his shoulder and seeing the pair were ok again he said, "So, how did all this time-skipping start?"

"We don't really know," Rose said. "It just sort of… happened. One minute we're heading to the year 2007 then we're… why don't you explain." She asked the Doctor.

"No, go on, you're doing well."

Rose gave a small smile and then continued. "Where was I? Oh yeah, then we're shooting straight past that to the end of Time then jump to the end and start coming back again."

"Ooookay a little too much info there, but that works," Jack nodded. "You think someone or something tampered with the TARDIS?"

"Yes," the Doctor said, going up the stairs to stand by Jack. Rose went to sit down and observe them. "And my bet is, before the Daleks died out, they programmed these fake Dalek things to stop any machine approaching the planet to stop it being at risk."

"Impressive thinking there," Jack told the Doctor. Jack smiled again, eyes shining. "Let's find out what's wrong with this baby."

An hour later Rose came out of the wardrobe in changed clothes. She was wearing the same trousers but a different t-shirt. It was getting hot in the TARDIS. "Can't you turn the heating down in here, it's boiling."

The Doctor's head appeared on the other side of the control panel. His body was hidden. Jack came downstairs with a toolbox. A big one.

"Sorry," the Doctor told her. We've been melding the metal after we took some pieces out, looked around, you know."

Rose gave him a questioning look. "How's it going?" she asked. "Found anything?"

"Yep," the Doctor replied. "The fake-Dalek things created an error on the TARDIS system but not to worry, we're fixing it."

Rose hesitated before asking, "What are you going to do about the Time Lords?"

"Tell them the truth, I suppose." The Doctor admitted.

"Time Lords? I thought you said they were gone." Jack said.

"I thought so too, but a couple survived, they were hiding out and bred more."

"You mean Time Lords can have babies?"

"Don't look so surprised, Jack," The Doctor told him. "Almost every race can have babies. Look at humans. If an alien came and looked at one, one day they would wonder: can humans have babies?"

Rose laughed.

"What are you laughing at; I had to give you the same talk when you asked about it."

Rose stopped laughing and frowned at him.

Jack's expression was blank, then he said, "Okay, moving on, shall we try and communicate?"

The Doctor stood up and walked over to the screen. He touched the screen and accessed the communications programme. The screen went on for a second and then flickered off again.

The Doctor smacked his fist on the control panels in frustration. "They're trying to over-ride it!"

"You know there's only one way to do this." Rose said.

"No," the Doctor said. "No Rose."

Jack's eyes flicked between them. The Doctor was begging Rose. "Ah, what's going on?"

Rose looked at Jack. Her eyes were filled with sadness. "You when I killed the Daleks. It was the TARDIS working through me."

"It nearly killed you," the Doctor said desperately.

"How? How did you manage it?"

"I opened it and looked into the heart of it."

Jack didn't say anything, thinking things through. "Let me do it."

"Do what?" the Doctor asked.

"Look into the TARDIS."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Absolutely not." The Doctor said, dismissively. "It's too dangerous for the both of you."

"I'm just trying to help, if there's no other way!" Jack argued.

"Why can't I do it?" Rose asked loudly.

"You're too young!" the Doctor and Jack said in unison.

"I'm not a kid!"

"I know that, you're 20 but you're still my responsibility!" the Doctor cried.

"Stop trying to protect me!"

The Doctor turned on Jack. "Stop encouraging her!"

"Shut up!" Rose yelled.

The Doctor and Jack turned to her. She pointed at the door. "What's that noise?" she asked faintly.

"It's beautiful…" Jack said, following Rose.

"What noise?" the Doctor asked behind them. "What's beautiful?"

Rose was by the door now. Her hand rose to open it.

"You can't go out there!" the Doctor said. He tried to stop her but Jack was blocking his way. "Rose, come back here right now -"

"I have to know where that singing is coming from…" she told him dreamily.

"Is this something you two were talking about earlier? Because it's not funny."

Rose started to open the door.

"ROSE, NO!"

The door opened and she stepped outside. She glanced behind her and the Doctor could see she was smiling peacefully. The fake Daleks creatures were no where to be seen. She stepped out further and then stopped, looking around her. Jack stood beside her.

"I really think we should go back now," the Doctor said, trying to make them listen. "Rose? Jack?" the Doctor stopped and thought. The fake Daleks must have had a hell of a good reason for leaving. Why would they leave if they had _the_ Doctor surrounded and new he couldn't fly away?

Rose started walking again, level with Jack. The Doctor hurried to catch up.

They walked for ages. The Doctor wanted to find out where they were heading and how only they were affected. Maybe it could only mesmerise humans?

A fortress like building came into view. The aliens surrounded it. The Doctor grabbed Rose and Jack's shoulders and shoved them to the ground, holding them there out of sight.

The three of them now hidden, the Doctor could focus a bit more now, analysing the situating. He thought, hands still gripped tight on his friends. He could almost sense the aliens up ahead growing restless. They had done this to Jack and Rose. He knew it.

The Doctor fumbled in his pockets with one hand. His other was still clinging to Rose, his elbow holding Jack pinned. Both were struggling and the Doctor was finding it increasingly harder to hold on. He found his sonic screwdriver. Enough was enough. He set it and shone the blue light in Rose's eye then held down the button for a few seconds. She blinked and looked at him, looking disorientated. "Doctor? Where are we?"

The Doctor shook his head and put his finger to his lips, signalling for them both to be quiet. _Help me hold him. _He mouthed to Rose, pointing to Jack who was still trying to struggle. His eyes were closed, listening to that 'singing'.

Rose grasped his arms as the Doctor shone the screwdriver's light in Jacks eye. Like Rose, he blinked and looked extremely disorientated.

"What -?"

"Shh!" Rose whispered. She peered over the top of the hill and her eyes widened. She ducked back down quickly. "Oh my god."

"Let me see," Jack said quietly. As soon as he saw he slid down a little out of site.

"Let's go," the Doctor whispered to them.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"So, let's get this straight." Rose said back in the TARDIS. "Those fake Dalek things… hypnotised me and Jack?"

"That's my guess, yeah." The Doctor replied. "And I also think, I don't know how they did it though, it only works on humans because I didn't hear anything."

"But how?" asked Jack. "And besides, we have no means to call for help from the Time Lords or anybody and no weapons. How the hell are we supposed to beat these things?"

The Doctor didn't reply and was just staring into space. "Doctor?" Rose said quietly, resting her hand on his jacket. He looked up.

"There's only one way out of this, isn't there?" he said sadly. Rose nodded. "Well then. Better get a move on before things get out of hand and they come over here again and start causing more trouble than necessary. You'd better get back." The Doctor added.

Rose and Jack backed down the stairs as the Doctor turned his attention to the panel. His accomplices shielded there eyes as a bright white/gold light shone behind him. They looked back squinting and saw he was facing them again but the light still waving in the background. He did not speak to them as he hurried down the steps and out the TARDIS doors and didn't notice them running behind him to catch up.

The Doctor didn't slow once, the power of the TARDIS running through his veins. Rose held her side, supporting a stitch; Jack was just ahead of her, gasping for breath. They had come further out. He didn't remember coming this way.

But then the hill appeared in the distance.

The Doctor climbed it easily and halted at the top. Rose and Jack came up on his right and left sides. Their eyes widened at what they saw. Down below there were thousands of the ugliest aliens Rose had ever seen. They looked mutated as if still recovering from a horrific battle (which Rose reminded herself there sort of had).

All of their Dalek-like visors looked up at the trio, side by side. "I know who you are," the Doctor called down. His voice had changed. "A race new to existence. The Thals; the Kaleds. And the Graske."

Silence.

"You don't have a leader. You're disorganised. And that makes you dangerous. I can't let you live free."

"I can speak for us!" Came a voice. It was strangely sharp for a monster. The aliens parted to reveal a slightly bigger one. It was a disgusting greenish colour and the light from the sky reflected on its slimy flesh. The Doctor frowned down at them. "You are not responsible for this planet. We are!" it roared.

"Many years ago this planet was peaceful. I know that feeling can never return here. But with you free in the universe other species will be at risk."

"But -"

"I AM TALKING!"

"What are you going to do?" It shouted up at him.

"Divide you! You leave me no choice. You're race must be destroyed for the sake of all those who seek peace."

The aliens like they had before, started to turn into atoms. First, one by one, and then in numbers. When the space was empty, nothing left, the Doctor crumpled. Rose knelt down quickly next to him and turned him around gently to face her. His eyes pulsed faintly with the white glow and then they closed.

"Doctor? Doctor wake up. Jack help me get him to the TARDIS."

Jack crouched beside her and pulled the sonic screwdriver out of the Doctor's pocket. He examined it, set it and then held down the button. The TARDIS materialised before them and Jack went to unlock the door. He returned and helped Rose carry him inside. They lowered him gently into the chair and stood back. The Doctor started to mumble to himself and Rose only made out, "_Breathe… got to breathe…_"

"You can do it Doctor," she said. "You can't die on me." Jack held her hand.

The Doctor breathed in deeply and then out. A white gas poured quickly out of his mouth and the TARDIS closed. He breathed slowly and then opened his eyes. Slowly he pushed himself up, sitting straight. He smiled at Rose and Jack. "We did it then." He said.

"Yeah," Rose agreed.

"You did great, Doctor." Jack commented.

"Rose, you know what's gonna happen don't you?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, er, that's not gonna happen this time. My time's up. I've had one too many regenerations in my lifetime."

"But… you could go to the Time Lords -"

"They won't help me no matter what I say. And besides it's too late." He made to stand up and winced. He ignored the pain and staggered over to the controls, Rose and Jack at his heels. The Doctor fiddled with some of the buttons and knobs and then lent against the panel. The engines started. "I've set the TARDIS to take you both home. Jack, to make it easier -"

"I'll stay with Rose." He finished. The Doctor nodded. "Rose…"

She practically collapsed in his arms, crying. He hugged her tight. "You can't go… you can't…"

"I'll always be watching over you." He smiled. She stepped back a little and looked into his eyes. "I'll never forget you. You're my world. My Doctor. Forever in my heart." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and smiled. He fumbled in his pockets and then turned to Jack. "Where's my screwdriver?"

"Oh, sorry." Jack apologised handing it to him.

The Doctor passed it to Rose. "You need it more than he does." He grinned.

"Are you saying I can't look after myself?"

"No, no, not at all. Just incase you get into a sticky situation. Get kidnapped, you know."

"Thanks," she said pocketing it. "For everything."

"You're welcome." He replied. "Thanks to you as well." He faced Jack. "Our second goodbye."

"Yeah," Jack said. They shook hands and then hugged. "I owe you a thanks too. You saved me from who I nearly was. Who I was becoming."

"No problem." The Doctor stepped back and looked at both of his friends. "Oh nearly forgot, don't even think about trying to bring me back somehow." He told Rose sternly. "That goes for you too." He added to Jack.

"Cross my heart," Jack promised.

"Bye," Rose said. "I love you."

"I love you too. And Jack." The Doctor grinned. He looked at his watch. "It's time." He said sadly. He gave one last grin at his friends.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Rose burst into tears and Jack held her in his arms. "He's gone," Rose said tearfully into his shoulder. "He's really gone…"

Jack's eyes were watery. He blinked. "The Doctor knew what he was doing. There was no other way around this."

Rose stepped back, away from his reaches. "Yes there was. We could've left and been safe. And why couldn't we contact the Time Lords, Jack?"

"There was no time. And besides they couldn't have -"

"Couldn't or wouldn't?" she asked.

Jack sighed. "You know that they couldn't have, who're you kidding -"

"No, who are you kidding Jack? They're selfish!" she yelled as if hoping the Time Lords could hear her. "Selfish, insensitive and, and…" she broke down. "It's their fault… he's gone Jack." She sat on the floor, back against a pillar. She put her head in her hands and heard Jack sit next to her. He cleared his throat when the TARDIS engines stopped and stood up. "2006." He sniffed.

Rose stood up too as he started walking slowly down the steps. He waited for her to follow. "You go ahead," she told him. "I need to get my stuff."

Jack nodded and taking a last look at his temporary home, stepped outside, closing the door behind him out onto Gordon Road.

Rose came out of the giant wardrobe and headed down the corridor, her holdall in hand, bulging with clothes. She entered the control room and was just about to head downstairs when:

"Rose."

She wheeled around. A hologram, like one she had seen a year ago, shone before her; of the Doctor.

"I hope this has activated after Jack's gone out, Rose so shoo him out if he is." The hologram grinned. "Only kidding, Jack don't be offended, I don't mind if you're here or not." His face turned serious again. "Rose, Jack if you're there; this is important and I mean mega important. You've started grieving for me already but I have to ask you to not give in to it just yet. This is because something's coming. You may be wondering why I didn't tell you before, or destroy them earlier, and I can't answer those questions but one I can is why did I send you home now instead of delay you to keep you safe. Well, you two are the only ones that will understand my instructions and are the only ones who'll have the knowledge of them I can give you. The Time Lords can't even stop them. This is out of their hands. Only the human race can tackle this."

"Tackle what?" Rose asked.

"A war." The Doctor replied.

"A war?" she echoed. "Against who?"

"The wendigos."

"What's a wendigo?" Rose said.

"Ah, the legendary wendigos." The Doctor's hologram paused, thinking for a way to describe them. He hummed softly as he thought. "Well… they were once human many years ago. As men they were deprive of food and forced to become carnivores and eat each other. Now, it's said when one human eats another they gain special abilities, super speed, super strength, even become immortal. They become less than human. There will be loads of them."

"So basically you… can't kill them? We're as good as dead." She said, throwing her arms up.

"No, no, you're wrong. There is one way and one way only to kill these creatures: fire. You must get as many resources as you can which produce fire; flame throwers, lighter, matches, whatever."

"And erm, where exactly am I gonna get flame throwers?"

"Ask Jack," the Doctor smiled. Then he was serious again. "Rose, hold onto the grief, remember? You need all the strength you can get. Tell only people you can trust."

To Rose's amazement the hologram stepped forwards and stretched its arm out to her. She reached out to take his hand, even though she knew it wasn't real, but before she got close, he said, "Take care." And he flickered away.

"Oh shit!" Rose whispered, running her fingers through her hair desperately. She ran outside, leaving her bag in the TARDIS. "Jack!" she yelled, not seeing him anywhere.

"What?" he said, coming round from the other side of the police box.

"We need to talk."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"A wendigo?" Jack repeated, in a shocked tone, after Rose had told him about the wendigos threat.

"Wendigo_s_. Plural." Rose corrected.

They were still outside the TARDIS and out the corner of her eye Rose saw some dodgy looking teenagers hanging round inside the car park.

"This is bad," Jack said. "One is bad enough but more than one? We're as good as dead."

"No we're not," Rose told him. "The Doctor told me there is one way and one way only." Jack raised an eyebrow. "Fire. Flame throwers, matches, alcohol -"

She stopped because she saw a flicker of a smile cross his face and his eyes sparkle.

"He said you'd know where to get some. Was he right?" she smirked.

Jack winked. "We'll need money for travel to rent hover bikes -" he stopped himself at a look from Rose. "They haven't invented them yet? Unbelievable. Underground it is then. You got money?"

"I daresay there's some in the flat. I'll lead the way."

Rose didn't have her keys to the flat when they reached their floor so they rang the bell. When there was no answer after a minute Rose patted her pockets and extracted the Sonic Screwdriver. "Set…" she murmured, levelling it with the lock. "And click." She held down the button and after a small blue glow from the screwdriver, the door popped open.

"Mum?" Rose called. "You here?"

Jack closed the door behind them and then Jackie emerged from the living room, phone to ear as usual. "I'll call you back." She said to the person on the other end of the phone, and hung it up. She rushed over and hugged her daughter. She stood back and looked Jack up and down. "Where'd you pick him up? Some distant galaxy? And where's that Doctor of yours?"

"This is Jack." Rose said. "Captain Jack Harkness from the 51st century, we found him in 1941, height of the London Blitz. And the Doctor… he's… he's…"

"What?"

"Dead." Jack finished.

"Oh my God," Jackie said, shocked. "How?"

"They were all shooting at us…" Rose said faintly, reflecting on the event.

"These cross breed alien… things." Jack told her. "The Doctor absorbed the Time Vortex; like Rose did before, only he used more of it, which drained him."

"Why couldn't he change like he did before? Regenerate?"

"He'd used it all up." Jack said. Rose was looking dazed, and didn't show any sign of wanting to talk.

Jackie took her daughter's arm and lead her into the living room, Jack following behind. "Sit down." She said. She sat next to Rose on the sofa and Jack pulled up a chair.

"He's gone, mum. He's gone and he's not coming back. What am I going to do?" she asked tearfully.

Jackie put her arms round her daughter. "I'm here for you sweetheart."

"A war is approaching." Jack said out of the blue to her.

Jackie did a double-take. "What? A war? Between who?"

"The humans… and creatures called Wendigos."

"Aliens?"

"No. These things are different. You see they were once human; and now they're not. The Doctor… after he died he left Rose a message -"

Rose stood up abruptly and walked out of the room to the kitchen. They heard the kettle start to boil and then the TV turn on, the news tune just coming on.

As Jack explained the situation to Jackie, Rose stared in horror at the screen. "Jack?" she cried out weakly. "Jack!"

"Rose?" Jack burst into the kitchen, thinking she'd been in danger by her tone. He frowned when there was nothing there. But she pointed to the screen. Jackie peered curiously over his shoulder to see what was going on.

The cameras location was in what seemed to be a forest area. There was panic everywhere on the live feed; the cameraman was running, the people all around were scattering. They could hear screaming through the mikes and then suddenly the feed went dead. The camera went back to the presenter in the studio, who was sitting at his desk, gaping at the screen on his laptop, where he'd been watching. He blinked, pulling himself together. _"And that is what happened a moment ago in north London: a record speed, unidentified creature, attacking, and murdering a whole camera crew, coming in undetected until it was too late too save any of them. Experts fear, an invasion. These things are incredibly smart…"_

"Rose?" Jack said slowly. "I think it's time to go."

Rose looked away from the screen and looked into her friends eyes. "Money. We need money for the Underground."

Jackie sighed and lifted her purse off of the work surface and unzipped, taking out a £10 note. She handed it to Rose who pocketed it. "Don't lose it," Jackie told her sternly. "Keep it together and stay safe sweetheart."

"You too, mum," Rose agreed, hugging her. "But don't worry that much. We've handled murderous aliens from places all over the universe. I think we can handle thuggish teenagers on the Underground."

"You know what I mean."

**Is the Doctor alive? Wait and see!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rose and Jack had been sitting in silence on the Underground, swaying backwards and forwards, side to side. After 10 minutes Jack broke it. "Hey, I've been thinking," Rose looked up at Jack as he spoke. "You know the Doctor destroyed those cross species… alien… things. Graske/Dalek – I mean Kaled/Thal things."

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Where's this leading?"

"Well that was the past, right? The Doctor stopped them mutating into the Daleks."

"So?"

"He changed history, Rose, so that means the Time War never happened! He never regenerated! Rose I think the Doctor is out there somewhere! His old leather jacket self!"

"He's alive!" Rose cried a little too loudly. Lowering her voice she repeated, "He's alive?" avoiding the eyes of the other passengers.

Jack nodded, grinning. "We just need to track him down. I mean, I know it'll be hard, he could be anywhere in Time and Space, and we'd have to find him before the Time Lords, but I reckon we could actually manage it!"

"How do we know he didn't program the TARDIS somehow so it couldn't fly again?"

"I don't know but we have to try! But first we have to do what he asked us to do:" he lowered his voice, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Fight this war; with all we've got."

"For the Doctor. And the human race." Rose added.

"Absolutely," he agreed.

Elsewhere, on floor 500 of the Gamestation, the Doctor's eyes opened blearily. He staggered weakly to his feet and looked around, rubbing his eyes.

_How did I get here?_ He thought, recognising his surroundings. Suddenly he felt nauseous and clapped his hand to his mouth. A squeaking noise made him look down. His eyes widened at what he was wearing. A dark brown battered leather jacket over a green jumper, and black trousers. _Different clothes. _My_ clothes._

He raised his hands to his eyes and touched his face. _Oh my God. This has never happened before. To me or any Time Lord._ He looked around again and huge block numbers of 500 caught his eye. _This is one of the last places I was in this body. Why aren't I dead?_ He racked his brains, trying to make sense of the situation. _It was the Daleks that got me to regenerate but I destroyed them earlier in the past, before they muatated after the war. I've changed history. I've gotta get out of here! The TARDIS! Rose and Jack! The war between the humans and the Wendigos! I have to save them!_

He ran to the exists, no longer feeling ill, but they were all locked. _I must be in the future when everybody's left the station. I'm stuck here, alone, on a Gamestation, with no way of contacting anyone. Great._


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Jack and Rose got off at Southgate Station in London. "I have an old pal here," Jack said. "I hope he's still alive, I can't remember the date he died. I knew him a few decades after the WW2 from the army. He got a huge deal on weapons illegally. He wouldn't have disposed of them. He'd of had them hidden."

Rose smiled as they headed out the exit. "Won't it be a shock seeing you in your 33 year old form when he knew you 50 years ago? And do you still know where the flame throwers are?"

"Yep and yep." He looked left and right as they crossed the road towards the shops. "It may give him a heart attack." He grinned. "But he's a tough old boot. I wanted to ask his permission. If said yes, I'd take them obviously, if he said no, I'd take them anyway. And if he's dead…"

"Take 'em?"

"Yeah."

It turned out the guy was still alive. In a dodgy area of the town, they found his house, which looked quite run-down and through a window a dog barked furiously. "You wanna wait outside?" Jack asked. "It might be safer."

Rose looked behind her. They were on the front path but on the other side of the street was a tough looking gang of big teenage boys, aged around 16, which were eyeing her up. Two of them whistled as she looked back at Jack. "How bad can it be in there? You're stuck with me."

"If you're sure." She followed him to the chipped front door and he knocked loudly.

After about half a minute it opened and a man opened the door. He was half in shadow but Rose saw he had short grey hair, and looked around the age of 80. He had the vibes of someone with a quick and easy temper. "Sergeant Leo Owen?"

"Who's asking?" the man named Leo Owen asked.

"Captain Hack Harkness, sir and Rose Tyler."

Leo Owen looked from Jack to Rose. "No ones called me Sergeant in decades. Is this a joke or somethin'? Captain Jack's probably dead by now."

"So you are Leo Owen?"

"That I am, now who are you?" he asked again sternly.

"I said. Jack Harkness and Rose Tyler."

"No, no, no. That's impossible."

"I'm telling you, Leo it's your old buddy from 1956. Remember when you made me clean the whole of the dive bomber B-23 Dragon by myself for mucking around on the job and calling you an idiot?" he smiled at Rose briefly before turning back to Leo.

"Jack?" he said, horror struck. "But you're exactly as I remember you! Same attitude, crappy hair cut -"

"Could we come in?" Rose asked quickly, worrying about the boys, still eyeing her up.

"Certainly." He opened the door wider and allowed them through to the messy living room, which apart from the mess of papers and stuff, was quite clean and smelt strangely of flowers.

Jack waited for his old Sergeant to sit down in an armchair before sitting next to Rose, who looked slightly uncomfortable.

"How did you get here?" Leo asked, directing the question at Jack.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Jack grinned.

"I'm sure I would Captain, you turning up, 33 on my doorstep."

Jack didn't reply, unsure to answer truthfully. Rose nudged him. "Go on." He still didn't reply so she took over. "A time machine. Jack's a Time Agent, I'm a sort of… traveller." Leo laughed. "Laugh all you want, but you try and come up with another explanation." she told him. "If you're still not convinced -"

"Where are the flame throwers, Sergeant?" Jack asked rather rudely.

"I got rid of them years ago -"

"Don't lie to me Leo, you wouldn't throw them away!"

"Jack, what's gotten into you?" Rose asked worriedly.

"I'm fine; Leo, where are they?"

"Look, Jack, calm down -"

"Stop playing games!"

"What games?"

Jack rose up from his seat and made for Leo. Rose stood up and lunged at him with amazing speed before he reached the old man. He struggled furiously but Rose held him with all her strength. "Oh – no – you – don't!"

"Stop it! Get off me!" he shouted.

There was a clicking noise and both of them looked up from the ground. Leo was on his feet, a shotgun pointed straight at them.

"Ok, Mr Owen, put the gun down -" Rose tried to say calmly.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want with the flame throwers?"

"If you put the gun down, we'll tell you." Slowly, he lowered the gun and grunted. "Have you seen on the news, that camera crew murder?" Rose asked.

"Yes." He replied impatiently.

"The thing that attacked them is a sort of mutant, named a Wendigo. It's deadly and near immortal. Fire is the only thing that can kill it and they're going to invade Earth soon if we don't stop them."

"And what make you think I'll believe you?"

Jack nodded at the door. "A Wendigo."

"You think I'll believe the whole, it's behind you, whilst you tackle me to the ground?" he stopped when a growling came from behind him. He spun around, surprisingly fast for an old man. He saw a hairy green monster, standing on its hind legs. It had long, razor sharp teeth and claws, with beady black eyes.

Before he knew what had hit him, the green monster that was the Wendigo, slashed him deeply in the abdomen, splattering blood over the walls and over Jack and Rose still on the floor.

Seeing Leo was dead, Jack took Rose's arm and pulled her to her feet. He seemed to have pulled himself together, snapped out of how he'd acted before. The Wendigo advanced on them. "Run!" Jack roared. He led her out back, into the garden, the Wendigo in pursuit, it was going slowly, probably knowing they had no escape. Before closing the back door behind them, Jack whipped the key out the lock and slammed the door shut. Rose ran to the fence as he locked the door from the outside and tried to climb over but it had barbed wire at the top. She looked around desperately for something to get through the fence with as Jack hurried over. "We don't have much time." His eyes landed on the shed in the corner of the small garden. He kicked the door down and Rose followed, looking back as the Wendigo continued to scratch at the back door. She grabbed an axe which was the first thing she saw and Jack strangely was examining the floorboards. He kicked one in and found nothing. He looked around at the equipment on the walls and saw a flame weed killer. It was smoothly painted red and silver. "Perfect." He murmured.

He emerged and saw Rose hacking at the fence, making a gap nearly big enough for them both to get through. He ran towards the door, adjusting the nozzle of the weed killer as he went. He braced himself for getting slashed, and opened the door.

The Wendigo lashed out, and Jack cried out, feeling his left arm go limp. He roared and shot the Wendigo with a huge burst of fire.

This time _it_ cried out as it burst into flames. Jack ran towards the fence, which Rose had already gotten through and was on the other side.

Still holding the weed killer, they sprinted down the street.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Can we… stop now?" Rose panted. They were both running at a jog and they were turning the heads of passers by. She grabbed his sleeve to slow him down. He slowed to a walk and threw the weed killer into a skip as they passed McDonald's.

"We're near there." He said as they turned down an alley.

"Good. About Leo…" Rose said. Jack showed no indication of hearing her. She took this as a sign of not wanting to talk about it. He seemed to be coping with his arm as well, though she'd seen it trickling blood. "Erm, how exactly are we gonna get back on the Underground… with flame throwers? I mean, they have all those security measures."

Jack smiled. "Not a problem. We do the old bung them in the sports bag. And if there are those detector things, I'll cover you whilst you deactivate them with the Sonic Screwdriver."

"You have thought this out haven't you?"

He came to a halt as they came to a fence. It was made of mesh, and quite high, but it had already been cut through. They could see graffiti on the warehouse walls. It was a fairly big building, grey with chipped paint work. "This is it." He told her. He pushed the mesh back to let her go through first, and then he followed. He looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was following them. When he was sure they were alone, they approached the door which was slightly ajar. Jack picked up a pole and held it poised over his shoulder, the way a baseball player would hold a bat.

He kicked the door open and told Rose to find a light switch. She felt around the wall which was filthy and found some. It activated all of them. The room filled with light and she saw the floor was covered with big boxes, covered in dust. Jack walked around them, checking to see if anyone was there. He came back over to Rose. "They should be over there." He nodded to the other end of the warehouse where there were only a few boxes. He put the pole down and lead Rose across the room quickly.

The door clanged shut suddenly behind them, making Rose jump. Jack went over to investigate and found the door jammed. "We'll have to find another exit." He called back. "Try that door behind you."

Rose turned around to go to the fire exit door and screamed.

There were _three_ Wendigos in front of her. They growled, baring their teeth at her. Two of them raised their arms, claws out. "JACK!" she screamed. She jumped behind a crate and called his name again. "Jack! Where are you!"

"Right here!" she peered over the top of the crate and saw him standing in the middle of the room, two of the Wendigos in front of him. She nearly yelled at him to move, that he wasn't safe but that wasn't Jack. He faced danger. And besides, she saw he had a flame thrower slung over his shoulder. He pulled the trigger and a jet of flames shot out at the Wendigos. They both screamed and turned to ash.

"Two down, one to go!"

She blinked and in that second where she had closed her eyes the last Wendigo of the three had supersped to right in front of her. It's long tongue was rolled out hungrily.

_It's gonna eat me, oh God it's gonna eat me!_ Rose kept thinking over and over. She wanted to call out but she was paralysed with fright. "Jack…" she whispered.

"Where are you, you big ugly beast!" Jack called. Knowing he was safe, and hoping with all her might he could save her, his voice gave her confidence. She pictured the Doctor's face in her mind and imagined seeing him again.

"JACK!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Over here!"

She thought the Wendigo looked surprised at her sudden confidence, but no, she imagined it. A monster could not show emotions.

The Wendigos head spun to its side and saw Jack. It supersped out the way of the flames as he approached, holding the trigger down for huge jets of fire. He moved it the other way and caught the creature as it looped them. It stumbled and screamed in agony. It burnt.

Jack held his hand out to Rose. "Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

"I'm good. I think your arm _really_ should get seen to."

Jack waved her comment away. "I'll live. Let's just focus on getting through this battle alive shall we?" Rose sighed and then nodded. "Good. Now that's settled, you know where a sports shop is? We need a bag."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Doctor ran to all the exits but they'd been deactivated. He was still a bit disorientated and couldn't figure out what year he was in but was sure he would. He sat down against the wall because he felt a little dizzy. He couldn't think straight. Maybe if he slept for a bit. He was so tired that was all he wanted…

_NO_._ I can't sleep I've got to contact Jack and Rose and know they're alright. _He'd once been told of this magic by a good witch and he knew that it drained you but he had no choice. See, whenever he or Rose had been in danger he had heard that singing. It was angelic. He remembered last hearing it clearly when he and Rose had kissed, when she still had the Time Vortex flowing through her head. It gave her strength and him too. She knew it as well as he did from all the times she'd been in danger like when he'd need to step through that giant air conditioning system and she'd nearly been burnt by those sun rays in the year 5 billion.

_I remember now! The year is 200,101. or at least that's what I think it is. Roughly around there._ He decided he couldn't waste any more time so he closed his eyes and concentrated on her in the year 2006. he summoned the singing to his mind and spoke aloud as it came to him. He could feel the energy start to course down his veins. It was a peaceful feeling…

_Rose…I'm on the GameStation. If you can hear me, just do what you've gotta do. Save the world one last time. But this time round I can't be there. Don't come and rescue me. The Time Lords will be coming. Once you've saved the world, just… be safe. Good luck to you both._

The singing stopped and he fell unconscious to the ground.

Rose and Jack had been lucky at the station on the way home. The security had been higher than they'd counted but with a Sonic Screwdriver, no problem. He had had to cover her with the sports bag (which was bulging), whilst she worked the system with her back to everyone, using the Sonic Screwdriver as she went but now they were successfully on the train back.

"That was a close one." Jack said over the noise of the Underground. "I think the guard nearly saw you."

"We don't even have criminal records Jack. You're from the 51st century, and in any other future time I'm no one, but cause this is my life time now-"

_Rose… I'm on the GameStation. _

"What?" Rose exclaimed loudly, looking around. A few people looked up at her sudden outburst.

"What is it?" Jack asked. Rose clapped her hands over her ears to hear better. The Doctor's voice was definitely coming from her head but she wasn't putting it there. And she recognised the voice. The old Doctor just as Jack said earlier. He was alive! Blended with the words she heard the angelic singing fill her up inside.

_If you can hear me, just do what you've gotta do. Save the world one last time. But this time round I can't be there. Don't come and rescue me. The Time Lords will be coming. Once you've saved the world, just… be safe. Good luck to you both._

"No!" she cried. "No don't go, don't you leave me again! Don't you dare!" she'd lowered her arms back to her sides and turned to Jack as he said. "Rose, what happened?"

"The Doctor." She replied simply. "When we get home we're going to the TARDIS. I know where he is."

"But -"

"The Time Lords are after him, Jack. We have to save him. All those times he saved us at the last minute, we have to do this!"

"I'm not saying we shouldn't, it's just… I don't know. To hell with it! Yeah, okay let's do it. Let's go save the Doctor and then come back and fight this war!"

"Over my dead body will the Time Lords take him from me!" Rose said quietly.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jack and Rose left the station and got a taxi to Gordan Road where the TARDIS was. Jack set the sports bag down gently with his good arm and winced as he moved the bad one. Rose opened her mouth, about to speak but he cut her off. "No." he said firmly.

"Well, if you won't go to the hospital at least let me have a go with the Screwdriver."

He sighed. "If I let you, you'll stop nagging me, right?"

"Yep." She nodded.

"Okay then." He rolled up his sleeve and looked away.

"Aw, be a brave boy, Jack." She teased.

"Rose, you're sounding like my mother." That shut her up. She ran the screwdriver up and down the wound, holding the button down. Slowly the blood cleared and the wound mended. "All done," she said. "We should try to go now, shouldn't we? Go save the Doctor from the reached of the Time Lords."

"Yeah. Let's just hope, he in his mysterious ways didn't program the TARDIS so it couldn't go back for him." He set the year on the panel to 200,101. Rose's anxiousness suddenly turned to excitement when the engines started. But then they started struggling and making a cranking noise. "Oh no!" Jack cried. "No, no, no!"

"What's happening?" Rose asked quickly.

"The TARDIS is only half-way through dematerialising. If we stop only half done, we're in trouble." He ran to his tool box, still out from earlier and grabbed some tools at random and worked with amazing speed.

They waited with bated breath when he finished as the TARDIS engines continued smoothly once more. "Lucky," Jack breathed. Suddenly the TARDIS jerked and he and Rose were thrown to the floor into the railing. "What the hell?"

The engines stopped. "I think… are we here?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," he replied. Something's wrong and I've no idea how to fix it. Maybe the Doc will know. In the meantime…" he got up and opened the doors. He nodded and looked back to her. "Floor 495."

Rose followed him and they stepped out. 495 was stamped on the wall in huge figures. The place was deserted. "I'm pretty sure I've been here already. He must have been transported after I left which wasn't long ago. A few days maybe." Jack said.

They shut the door behind them and moved over to the lift. Rose got the screwdriver out and moved it over the lift controls. It beeped showing them it had reactivated. She smiled as the doors opened. "After you." She said to Jack.

The lift doors shut and Rose pressed the up arrow to five times to get to floor 500 where the Doctor was.

The Doctor came to, slowly to the sound of lift doors opening. He raised his head from the floor and sat up slowly. "Doctor!" came Rose's voice. He must be imagining it. Being transported then using telepathy across Time and Space, that's enough to scramble anyone's head. But no, he couldn't be imagining it; he was being pulled to his feet by Rose and Jack. He swayed, and Rose rapped her arms around him in a hug. "I thought we'd never see you again!" she said. He smiled and took her arms off of him. "We have to go," Jack said. "If the Time Lords are coming here."

The Doctor shook his head. "I've broken too many laws already. I have to pay the consequences."

"But you can't -" Rose said. He saw tears starting to fall.

"I have to. We can never be."

"This isn't you talking, Doctor. The Doctor I know wouldn't talk like this. He'd fight."

"But I'm not him! He's gone now. I'm back, the old Doctor, the one you fell in love with. And do you know what else? You're the first and only person I've ever loved. But things change."

"How?"

"You have to go back to earth. Forget me. The other Time Lords are coming, they'll have detected the TARDISs arrival, I don't want you hurt because of me -"

"I won't! But please come with us!" she looked at Jack for support.

"We need you. The entire planet needs you, we can't do this alone!"

There was a cough from behind them and the trio turned towards the lift. Nine Time Lords semi circled around them. "He comes with us." One of them said.

"NO!" Rose yelled as the Doctor moved slowly towards them, head bowed, avoiding his friends' eyes. He held his wrists out to one of them and the Time Lord summoned strange red glowing handcuffs which bound around them. "Doctor, don't go! Don't leave us. Please." She whispered the last word. Tears were rolling fast down her cheeks. "It's not fair." She choked.

"It's got to be done." The Doctor said. "I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"I love you." Rose told him. The Doctor looked up into her eyes at last and smiled. "I love you too. Since the day I met you." He turned to the what seemed to be Head Time Lord of the group. "Make me human." He said to him.

"What?" the Chief exclaimed. "That's not impossible. You are a Time Lord. You have been sentenced. However, I can see you care very much about the humans. Therefore, it's my decision that you will remain in the service of us, but continue your travels alone, forbidding you to make contact again with the humans. We will tolerate you one last journey."

"Why?" The Doctor asked.

"There is a battle to be fought in the year 2006."

The Doctor paused before replying and then said, "Ok." The Chief got rid of the handcuffs and the Doctor held out his hand to Rose. She took it and he led her back to the TARDIS.

When Jack had locked the door behind them, Rose said, "What are you gonna do? What's the situation with us? Will we ever be together?"

"I want to show you something," the Doctor said, looking into her eyes. "Something important."

"What?" she asked.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The Doctor walked over to the control panel without answering Rose's question. "What?" she repeated. He set the year to 2053. "Why are we going there?"

He looked up. "To show you your future, when you're seventy one years old." He replied.

"Yeah, but why?"

"I realised I've never shown you what you look like when you're old and grey." He joked. "Nah, not really. One last adventure. You go a bit dotty around seventy three so… let's give your old self a treat. See me again." He grinned.

"Aw, that's really thoughtful." She said. "Do I really go dotty at seventy three?"

"No, I was just playing with you."

"Really?"

He didn't reply. The engines worked for about twenty seconds and then stopped. "After you," he said to both his companions. He followed them out and looked up at a nice cottage in the countryside. The front garden was beautiful; there were flowers planted at random, bright and colourful. There was an tree in the centre, with ripe apples hanging from the branches. The front door was oak, with a brass knocker. The outer walls of the house were painted beige and the windows old. Judging by the temperature, and the blooming of the flowers, it was mid-summertime.

The Doctor shook off his leather jacket. "Cor, it's boiling out innit?" he asked rhetorically.

"I live here?" Rose asked, shocked. "How could I afford it?"

"You'll see." He smiled mysteriously, strolling up to the front door. Rose and Jack hurried after him as the Doctor knocked. It opened, and a man answered the door. Rose didn't recognise him from anywhere. He looked around thirty with smooth clean shaven cheeks and dark brown hair. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt with shing white trainers. He looked like he worked out. _Nurse?_ Rose thought. _Wow, I'm lucky. _

"Yes?" he asked. "Can I help you?" he asked politely, seeing the three strangers. He had a dash of American in his accent.

"Yes, we're here to see Rose." The Doctor said.

The guy said, "One sec." he left the door open and Rose saw the hall inside. There was a mirror hung on the wall straight ahead and a wooden hall table underneath. A coat stand had been placed by the door and three coats were hanging from it.

Rose gaped at what she heard the man call her old self in another room. "Mom!"

The Doctor turned to face her briefly, grinning from ear to ear. "He's – he's my _son_?" Rose asked. "Oh my God, I get a son!"

"Guess who's the father." The Doctor said mischievously, eyes flicking at Jack.

"Me?" he asked, stunned. "What? How? Since when?"

The apparent Rose and Jack's son from the future came to the door again. Having another look, he did have Rose's eyes and Jack's nose… "Come in." he welcomed them. The trio followed him into the living room which had sun light streaming in through the windows. There was a wide screen TV by the window and two leather sofas by the walls. It was extremely modern and everything looked expensive. "Please, sit down, my mom will be down in a moment." He smiled at Rose flirtatiously. She felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and cleared her throat. _He wouldn't smile at me like that if he'd seen pictures of me this age, surely?_ She wondered. "I'm Sam Harkness." He introduced, holding his hand out to the three of them in turn which they shook. "You are? I only told mom there were visitors and I didn't know your names."

"I'm -" the Doctor broke off as an old lady walked into the room, supported by a walking stick. Rose. She stopped and stared. "Mom?" Sam said, standing up quickly, rushing to her side. "Mom, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She laughed which turned into a cough. Sam lowered her to a chair. She flicked her shoulder length grey hair out her eye and smiled at the three people on her sofa. "In a way I have Sam." He looked at her questioningly. Rose, Jack and the Doctor stood up. The Doctor walked over to her and hugged her gently. "Doctor," she said. "You came back."

"Told you I would, didn't I?"

"Yes, yes. My Jack." She said quietly, as the Doctor moved to let Jack through. He shook her hand, slightly uncomfortable. After all, he'd just found out he has a son. "Oh, it feels like only yesterday I saw that face. Shame he's gone…"

"What do you mean, gone?" he asked.

"You don't know? Oh I suppose you don't, do you? You passed away a few years ago."

"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss. I guess." He added. He stepped away to give Rose clearance but the old her sat back, folding her arms. "Paradox, right?" both Roses said at the said time. They smiled. Old Rose looked Rose up and down. "Rose. I'm guessing you're twenty, am I right?"

Rose nodded. "You're looking well."

"My Sam looks after me." She said, patting her son's hand. "You never told me you'd come." She directed this comment to the Doctor. "Care to explain yourself?"

"Wait, mom." Sam cut in. "Sorry, but… you called these people, Doctor, Jack and Rose."

"Believe me now?" she asked him sardonically. "Forgive my son, he never believed me when Jack and I when we told him about our travels. Or that your father was from the 51st century."

"Mom, it's just scientifically impossible -"

"Don't argue with your mother." Jack said, then clapped his hand over his mouth. The Doctor laughed. Jack glared at him and then turned back to Sam. "This is me: Captain Jack Harkness, 51st century, born and bred."

"No matter how many times I try to get him to believe me, he just refuses. Which side does he get that from I wonder?" Rose said. "Maybe you'd believe me if they showed you the TARDIS Sammy?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess. If it really is bigger on the inside."

"Doctor?" twenty year old Rose said. "Shall we show him?"

"Okey dokey." He answered.

Sam stopped in his tracks when twenty year old Rose opened the TARDIS door. "Oh. My. God." He managed, going inside.

"Welcome to the TARDIS." She said. Old Rose was inside with the Doctor, talking things through, she expected. Jack had come out with them.

"This is all a bit… much." Sam said. "I mean, you two. You're my parents."

"I know. I never thought we were a suitable couple, either." Jack joked.

"It's not that; it's just I've never seen pictures of you when you were younger. That's why I didn't recognise you."

"Um, I might go see what the Doctor and Rose are talking about." Rose said, going outside, leaving the two men alone. She lent on the side of the blue box and sighed.

Inside the TARDIS, Jack had a question that he really wanted to ask his son. "Sam? Could I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"Was I a good dad?"

"Are you kidding? You were the best! Everyone at school wished you were their dad."

"Really?" Jack asked. "What did I do that was so cool? Only, this hasn't actually happened for me yet."

"You… you were the one that taught me how to play soccer. I was the Captain of the team because you showed me how to play."

Jack smiled. "So we're both Captains."

"Mom said you weren't a real Captain. You just go by that title."

"Ah, damn, I'll have to tell her not to say that. No extra macho."

This time Sam laughed. "I don't care. You were the best dad in the world. You always will be."

**Not long now! I'm planning the ending though I still haven't come to a decision!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Ok everybody this is the penultimate chapter (the one before last)!**

Chapter 17

After their father-son talk, Jack and Sam rejoined the Doctor and both Rose's back in the cottage. The Time travellers stood. "We have to go." The Doctor said. "We've got a war to win." They all hugged again, but not the Roses. "I know you'll win," the old Rose said quietly to young Rose. "The Doctor swanned off and came back here and here I am, fit as fiddle, and Jack survived too." Twenty year old Rose nodded. "It was nice meeting you." She replied.

Back in the TARDIS, when it was just the three of them once more, the Doctor started the engines. Rose went over to him as Jack went and sat down. "Do you really go away forever? I mean, stay away until I'm seventy one?"

"Rose, remember what I told you when we were trapped by the Gelth? Time can be bent into any shape. The future can be changed in a second. You never know, I could convince the Time Lords to let me come see you. In the mean time they probably have me followed, but keep this in mind when I'm gone: I've seen you when you were twelve and seventy one. I might see you again on the off chance."

Rose smiled and then said. "But it's still goodbye, isn't it? I'll never talk to you again…" he rested his hand on her arm, and kissed her briefly on the forehead, then turned back to the controls. She could tell this conversation had now passed and went to sit with Jack.

"We're gonna have to get together." She said. "Doesn't that seem just a little bit freaky to you?"

"No," he replied, grinning. "From the impression we were happy and Sam said I was a good dad!" Rose was about to reply but, "The year 2006, Powell estate, home sweet home." The Doctor announced as the engines stopped. "I presume you did get weapons?"

"Absolutely," Jack said, rising from the chair. He walked over to the sports bag by the hat stand and picked it up. "Locked and loaded. Where to first then Doc?"

"Let me check," the Doctor told him. He activated the screen and flicked through the channels. A news flash was on. The Doctor saw the location and said, "Ok, I think we'd better hurry."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"I er, wouldn't draw attention to yourself when you open the door."

"They're on the estate?" The Doctor nodded. "How many?"

He consulted the screen again. "Seven counted."

"Seven? In the car park?"

"Yep."

"how many in the building, let's go!" she cried. "Give me one!" she commanded Jack. He unzipped the bag and gave them each a flame thrower. "Watch out, we're coming to get you!" she said, going briskly to the door. She got caught by surprise as when she opened the door a Wendigo stood before her. She jumped out the way as it swiped, missing her by a second. The Doctor shot it with a burst of fire. "One down, God knows how many more to go." He said, setting off at a run towards a group of three Wendigos. They were surrounding a small red car, which had a terrified middle-aged man in it. "Howard!" Rose yelled.

"Who's Howard?" Jack asked, running along beside her, the nozzle of the flame thrower aimed in one hand, the sports bag in the other.

"Mum's boyfriend off the market." Rose told him quickly. They sped up, tying with the Doctor. The trio skidded to a halt and each shot a Wendigo each. When they were ash, Rose ran over and helped him out. He was numb. He turned to her and saw the flame throwers. His eyes widened. "Rose?" he whispered. "What are you -? Your mum, I was coming over to see if she was alright and then these things surrounded me…"

"It's alright, Howard, we're just going up now, it's best if you go home now." She told him.

"Can you run?" the Doctor asked him quickly. "Fast?" Howard nodded. "Jack, give him a flame thrower. Howard, you're about to become a hero, helping us save the human race."

The four headed to the building and encountered far more than seven Wendigos on the stairs. Howard kept up with them, not needing to stop for breath and seemed on the ball when the Time travellers stopped for breath. When they reached Jackie's floor, the door was ajar. Rose didn't stop to think, she ran inside and yelled, "MUM! Where are you?"

"Rose!" she heard her mum scream back. "Help!" she ran to the sound of her mum's cry and found a Wendigo bolted outside the bathroom. Her mum was trapped inside and the door was about to give way. The Wendigo looked pissed off that its victim was putting up a fight. "Jackie!" Howard called.

The Wendigo wheeled round and snarled. It super sped and burst into flame as he shot it in mid-run towards him.

The bathroom door opened a creak slowly and they saw Jackie's eye look out. She saw Howard and Rose and hugged them. She stood back as she saw the Doctor. "You said he was dead." She said to Rose.

"Nice to see you too." The Doctor said.

"Yeah, we thought he was but he wasn't." Rose said hastily. "Listen, we'd better be going, we don't know how many more Wendigos are out there… Howard, maybe you should stay here with mum?"

"I want to help." He said.

"Stay with me," Jackie said. He nodded and handed Jack the flame thrower. "Good luck," he told them.

"See you soon." Rose said to them both. "Take care."

**(Note to last anonymous reviewer: Thanks for the pointer! In 'The Christmas Invasion', 'The Empty Child', etc, Rose and the Doctor have used the screen to see things like the Time Tunnels. The TARDIS has the screen in it and I presumed because it's so high-tech, it would have TV station links.)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The Doctor, Jack and Rose decided it safer to stick together even though it meant they couldn't cover more ground. They were in the local shopping centre and more and more Wendigos were coming out of no where at them. The place had been recently evacuated as the alarms were still ringing.

So far they had got away without any injuries, but the Doctor had a feeling they could stay that way not much longer.

They were near the escalators when one came up behind them. The Doctor shot it but it just burnt the Wendigo, angering it. "What?" the Doctor said. _They're getting stronger,_ he thought. He saw one come up to Rose and it was almost smiling. She was about to shoot and he yelled, "Rose, no!" she shot it and strangely it did turn to ash. She turned in time to see the Wendigo by the Doctor lash out. It scratched him deep and the impact shot the Doctor high the air and he went flying out of sight. "Doctor!" she screamed. "Jack, come on!"

Jack followed her, having too, seeing the Doctor being hit. The Wendigos seemed to have disappeared because he looked back and they were gone.

They found the Doctor had been thrown through a shop window which had smashed at the force of his landing. Rose and Jack ran inside through the doors and discovered him lying on the carpet, bleeding heavily. He was pale with blood loss and shaking. He opened his eyes hearing them approach and saw Rose kneel beside him. She held his hand. "Rose…" he managed weakly.

"Don't talk, I'll fix you." she whispered. She fumbled in her pocket for the Sonic Screwdriver. She got it out and was about to set it but he shook his head. "No," he choked. "It's my time."

"You can't say that." She told him, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Remember… what I told you… everything has it's time and… everything dies."

"No!"

"I've gotta go."

"But you can't…" she tried to argue. He shakily raised his arm and brushed her hair out her face.

"Don't give up." He told her. "Before I go…" he winced but continued, taking a deep breath. "The Time Lords… they're coming."

As if they had heard him, three Time Lords walked around from behind them. "Help him." Rose cried from the floor. "He hasn't done anything wrong… please…"

The Chief spoke. "We understand time is short, so I must hurry. The Wendigos were a test, to see your dedication to one another and we have dealt with them. We can see now the Doctor loves you, Rose Tyler. That is why we are granting the Doctor his wish: to become human." He looked down at the Doctor who smiled, although still pale and shaking worse than ever. The Time Lord closed his eyes as the two other Time Lords put their hands on his shoulders, joining their power. The Chief stood as still as a statue. He started glowing and white/gold colour and knelt down, opposite Rose. He placed his hands just above the Doctor's gash in his abdomen and then the Doctor started glowing too. He stopped his shaking and the colour returned to his skin. He opened his eyes and smiled. The Time Lord staggered backwards, drained. One of the Time Lords escorts took him by the arm and left, leaving one behind.

"Thank you." The Doctor said to the Time Lord, standing up. He took Rose's hand. She looked astounded at what had just happened before her. "I'm ok now, no need to worry."

"But… you're… you're human now? Right?" she stuttered.

"Yes. You'll want to take the TARDIS, won't you?" the Doctor asked. The Time Lord nodded as the Doctor handed over the key sadly.

"Why can't you keep it?" Rose asked as the Time Lord went inside. It dematerialised.

"I'm no longer a Time Lord. I'm not allowed it anymore. That would be like giving it to you as a present. Besides, I'm sure there's a young Time Lord out there that would like one. So. No more time travelling for us three." The Doctor said to his two companions. "Time to move on and settle down."

"What about your title?" Jack asked. "The Doctor. Will you change your name?"

"No!" the Doctor said, shocked. "I'm staying the Doctor till the day I die."

"So you can die now? Properly, like a human?"

"I am human. I just need to have a quiet life I'll need to make up a new age and everything. I'll grow old at human speed. Maybe I could be twenty eight, what do you think? And I can be with you." He added to Rose. "How about it? We still on?"

Rose grinned. "Yeah. Just us; together forever. I'm not sure if people will believe you if you say twenty eight though. They'll think who's he kidding!"

"Oi!" he poked her.

"Er, sorry to crash the celebration guys," Jack said. "But what about me? Where will I go? I live in the 51st century."

"Stay here. Get a job," the Doctor suggested. "Maybe the RAF."

Jack smiled. "Good idea, Doc. Good thing I've still got some _psychic paper_ though! Or they probably wouldn't let me in. I mean I've got no _real_ ID. Hey Rose, still has the Sonic Screwdriver!"

"Oh yeah!" Rose remembered. "How come the Time Lords didn't take it?"

"It's not theirs to take. It's from Villengare, you know the banana groves? They don't only do blasters. Bought it when I visited."

Still holding Rose's hand, the Doctor and his companions walked out the shop.

"Where to now?" Rose asked. "Where are we gonna live?"

"Your mum's." the Doctor replied simply. "We'll find ourselves jobs, me with my first in jiggery-pokery and then we'll get ourselves a flat or something. That ok with you?"

Rose looked up at him and rested her head on his shoulder as they went. "Yeah. Yeah that sounds good to me."

**Yay! The end! They can be together! I may write a sequel but for now I want to carry on with one of my unfinished stories.**


End file.
